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Conference marvin::uk_music

Title:The UK Music Conference
Notice:Welcome (back) to UK_MUSIC on node MARVIN.
Moderator:RDGENG::CROOK
Created:Mon Mar 28 1988
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1381
Total number of notes:39269

239.0. "SYD BARRETT" by 45466::CAMPBELL_A () Tue Oct 11 1988 18:32

    What really has happened to Syd Barrett. Did he ever recover from
    his acid "blow-out". I know he did the 2 lps "Barrett" and "Madcap
    Laughs". (and also the Peel session - now available on CD).
    
    What a loss to the music world. I think Pink Floyd have made their
    musical mark in the world, but think what they could have achieved
    with a cured Syd!!
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239.1oh by the way, which one's pink???EUCLID::OWENHltr Skltr...we're stealin' it back!Tue Oct 11 1988 20:016
    As far as I know Syd is a vegitible (sp) in some hospital some where,
    but I may be wrong.....
    
    Syd is Pink!
    
    Steve O
239.2yUNTADH::ODIJPElefanten springen nieTue Oct 11 1988 20:049
    
    Damned good question ! 
    
    However , if Barrett had stayed with Pink Floyd , I'm not sure that
    they would have made the break into Dark Side of the Moon .
    
    And for me , *that* would have been a greater loss .
    
    John J
239.3Good point!, DSOTM is a DAMN good album!EUCLID::OWENHltr Skltr...we're stealin' it back!Tue Oct 11 1988 22:101
    
239.4On the pink side!WILVAX::BOURQUEluv my drums/BLACKMIRAGEWed Oct 12 1988 12:275
    I Think its one of the greatist!
    
    
    
                                         Jim
239.5KERNEL::COHENKeep Music LiveMon Oct 17 1988 09:5113
    
    Some still mourn the loss of Syd, saying that the Floyd missed his
    madness.  Well, it's all history now.
    
    There was a very good article on Syd in N.M.E. around the mid-seveties,
    which they also re-produced in their N.M.E. Greatest Hits annual
    at the end of one of those years.  The man who knew him best was
    Gilmour.
    
    Syd was certainly one of the few greats.
    
    David.
    
239.6WELMTS::GREENBThree in a row, she's got to goMon Oct 17 1988 18:079
    Can I throw a spanner in the works here....?
    I love Syd, on his own and with Floyd.
    I love Ummagumma, Atom Heart Mother etc.
    But I cant *stand* Dark Side.....
    I just find it very very boring (and all their stuff since)
    DSOTM, along with Tubular Bells are the first yuppie lp's, 1970's
    equivalents of Brothers in Arms....
    
    Bob
239.7Spanner ? More like a monkey wrenchUNTADG::ODIJPElefanten springen nieTue Oct 18 1988 16:2813
    
    Re .6
    You *don't* like Dark Side of the Moon ??????
    
    Come on , I mean , everybody's allowed freedom of choice , but not
    to abuse it with such alacrity .
    
    
    Actually , it's perfectly ok :^)
    
    But , back to the question , Where *is* Syd Barrett ?
    
    John J
239.8Where's Syd?WELMTS::GREENBThree in a row, she's got to goWed Oct 19 1988 10:376
    Re .7                                                                
    
    Last I heard, he was living in a basement flat somewhere in Cambridge
    
    Bob
    
239.9The Madcap Laughs ....KERNEL::COHENKeep Music LiveWed Oct 19 1988 19:0211
    
    RE: .8
    
    I would say, Bob, that even that information is quite old - that's
    the one you hear the most.
    
    A 'new' album of leftovers is released this week - just shows that
    there's still the demand.
    
    David.
    
239.10Is this likely?BISTRO::BEAUMONTdesperate = 1; goto hardswap;Sun Oct 23 1988 17:136
    I was talking to someone a few months ago who knows someone who
    has Syd's phone number!  I took it with a pinch of powder, but
    you never know! - I'll try and find out who it was.  Life was a
    bit of a blur a few months ago...
    I think it was John Taylor, ex. Digital, UKCSC who mentioned it.
    I'll check it out...
239.11LESLIE::LESLIEAndy ��� Leslie, DECnet Phase VSun Oct 23 1988 20:232
    
    A Syd Barrett album came out this week. not new I don't think....
239.12a precious stone from a crazy diamondYUPPY::OGLEWed Dec 07 1988 06:5411
    Yep, `Opal' is available in the shops, basically a companion album
    to his original releases, containing alternative versions of material
    from both `The Madcap Laughs' and `Barrett' together with other
    stuff which never saw the light of day. Admittedly there's some
    false starts and fumbling, and some typical irregular timing (some
    tracks have about 3 or 4 changes in tempo in the first line!) but
    if you're a diehard fan, an essential addition to the collection.
    
                      Jules.
    
    
239.13Syd & Soft Machine45417::CAMPBELLThu Dec 08 1988 09:248
    You may have wondered who else apart from Syd, played on Madcap.
    Well apparently he was backed by "Soft Machine". You can spot  Mike
    Ratledge's distinctive Lowry Organ on one or two of the tracks,
    and also Robert Wyatt's drums. An interesting combination which
    reminds me of the one concert that I really regret missing. This
    had Pink Floyd & Soft Machine (& others) playing at a marathon
    psychedelic freak-out at Alexandra Palace in 1967(I think). Did
    anyone go there?
239.14WELMTS::GREENBSome of these bricks explodeFri Dec 09 1988 08:2911
    I didn't go to that one, but I saw Floyd and the Softs on a double
    bill at the Rainbow - it was a benefit for Robert Wyatt, recently
    confined to a wheelchair. Ivor Cutler was also no the bill.
    
    Well do I remember queuing all night for tickets to this one.
    
    Floyd were at the stage where they were playing an early extended
    version of what was later to become Dark Side of the Moon; they
    were OK, but the Softs were totally beeerrrrrrilliant.
    
    Bob, hippy of this parish
239.15Vegetable man45466::JANSEN_JFri Jan 13 1989 13:135
    I've got a tape of "Vegetable Man" and "Scream your last scream"
    which indicate that he was as untogether as the other guys in the
    band say he was...
    
    Jeff
239.16Did you know?SQGUK::NOCKI'LL have a BabychamThu Mar 30 1989 19:157
    A quick FYI here,
    
    The B side of "Upside Down" by the Jesus and Mary Chain (before
    they signed to Blancoynegro) was SBs Vegetable Man...
    Now there's a surpirse.
    
    Paul
239.17still alive...EUCLID::OWENIn a Locst wind coms a RATTLE AND HUMFri Apr 07 1989 20:346
    I recently found out that he is living with his Mom in a flat outside
    of London.  He doesn't let any of the other floyd members visit
    anymore because he gets horribly depressed about what he could have
    been.
    
    Steve O
239.18Tribute Compact DiscPNEUMA::WILSONMon Jul 16 1990 18:5851
    I have in my hot little hands here a CD called: "Beyond the Wildwood: A
    Tribute to Syd Barrett" (The Communion Label COMM 14CD)
    
    1. No Good Trying - The Mock Turtles
    
    2. Octopus - Plasticland
    
    3. Arnold Layne - SS-20
    
    4. Matilda Mother - Paul Roland
    
    5. Long Cold Look - Fit and Limo
    
    6. Long Gone - The Shamen
    
    7. If the Sun Don't Shine (Adaptation of "Jugband Blues") - Opal
    
    8. Baby Lemonade - The Ashes in the Morning
    
    9. Wolfpack - The LObster Quadrille
    
    10. Golden Hair - The Paint Set 
    
    11. No Man's Land - Tropicana Fishtank
    
    12. Apples and Oranges - The T.V. Personalities
    
    13. Two of a Kind - The Soup Dragons
    
    14. Scream Thy Last Scream - The Green Telescope
    
    15. See Emily Play - The Chemistry Set
    
    16. Rats - What Noise
    
    17. Gigolo Aunt - Death of Samantha
    
    1987 Compilation, liner notes by Phil Smee; 5-inch picture disc made in
    the U.S.
    
    
    I really like this disc! It's interesting to hear Syd's stuff performed
    by other bands. Clocks in just over 59 minutes. I'd say it's a good
    purchase for Barrett fans. Sound quality is very good.
    
    By the way, I have read a lot of bullsh*t about Syd Barrett. It's hard
    to know what's true and what's not where he's concerned. I just enjoy
    his music and let it go at that. Hope whoever buys this disc enjoys it!
    
    
    Wes 
239.19So where is he?PNEUMA::WILSONWe can be heroes...just for a dayThu Nov 08 1990 17:4017
    So does anybody know anything definitive about where Syd Barrett is and
    what he's up to? 
    
    Does he still play the guitar at all? 
    
    It's been a long time since his so-called breakdown; surely he's
    recovered. He could make a lot of ca$h by playing out again. 
    
    How come nobody knows anything for certain about Syd? He didn't just
    disappear off the face of the earth!
    
    Even that band that does covers of his stuff is strange, "The TV
    Personalities." They supposedly have a song called, "I Know Where Syd
    Barrett Lives."
    
    
    Wes
239.20TerrapinAYOV28::BROCKThu Nov 08 1990 17:556
    
    There was a photo in a music mag I have just read in the last week that
    was supposedly of Syd Barret as seen recently. Extremely middle-aged,
    fat and balding. I'll live with my memories.
    
    		Ian.
239.21last heard...SRFSUP::BERZERempire of the senselessThu Nov 08 1990 18:163
    He lives with his mother.  I can't remember where.
    
    I think he completely lost his mind.
239.22SHAPES::FIDDLERMFri Nov 09 1990 08:336
    Isn't he in Cambridge?  The photo is in Q mag.  
    
    I hope the photo doesn't cause lots of people to go bothering him.
    
    Mikef
    
239.23STAY AWAY FROM ACID...MACNAS::DKEATINGEamon Dunphy for President!Fri Nov 09 1990 09:285
    It's been a long time since Peter Green's *breakdown* as well
    who by the way is also fat and balding. Once you fry your brain 
    on LSD it remains fried...very sad!
    
    - Dave K.
239.24I Don't Care if the Sun Don't ShinePSYLO::WILSONWe can be heroes...just for a dayFri Nov 09 1990 12:5911
    Pardon my ignorance, but who is Peter Green? 
    
    By the by, on the Syd Barrett tribute CD that I have, the liner notes
    mention along with Syd this guy from a band called "The Monks": I think
    his name is Gary something. The liner notes said that he too
    was like Syd: a shining luminary whose genius faded.
    
    Anyone know anything 'bout The Monks or this Gary person?
    
    Also, if someone wouldn't mind sending that recent Syd photo from the
    mag to me, send me mail and I'll give you my mailstop.  
239.25SHAPES::FIDDLERMFri Nov 09 1990 17:277
    My history =knowledge is vague, but didn't he form and be the leading
    light behind Fleetwood Mac in their early (and much better!) days? 
    There was once a great concert on radio 1, with Peter Green and a few
    other dudes, playing some marvellous blues, recorded in the sixties
    maybe.
    
    Mikef
239.26FORTY2::QUICKI hate my mouse!!!Fri Nov 09 1990 19:2414
	Honestly, children, never heard of Peter Green? Never heard
	the early Fleetwood Mac track "Albatross"? That was him.
	I believe he also wrote "Oh Well" which was covered rather
	brilliantly by Jimi Hendrix (now you *must* have heard of him).
	I think he also wrote "Black Magic Woman", covered by Santana.
	Once a great guitarist, Green apparently hasn't touched the
	instrument since he split with Mac in the 60s, and now has 2
	inch long fingernails for some reason best known to himself.
	I saw a fairly recent interview with him on "The Fleetwood
	Mac Story" video, and if there ever was an acid casualty,
	then he's it... very sad.

	Grandad.
239.27WELMTS::GREENBDead sheep in sore throat rumpusWed Nov 14 1990 16:0614
    Indeed, to my mind, Peter Green *was* Fleetwood Mac; he formed the band
    and guided it through the three years he was with them. Basically, they
    were a blues band, but with a late sixties/early seventies
    'progressive' (bleurgh!) edge which set them apart from other
    blues-oriented bands of the period. For a while back there, they were
    one of the biggest bands in the UK, having a succession of top 40 hits
    such as 'Green Manalishi', 'Man of the World', and others previously
    mentioned.
    
    Peter Green was also a splendid guitarist; not in the million-notes-a-
    second style, but he had enormous feel and emotion in his playing. As
    an example, check out the intro to 'Need Your Love So Bad.'
    
    Bob (No Relation) Green
239.28JUMBLY::MACFADYENThere's no going backThu Nov 15 1990 17:5412
.27>  Peter Green was also a splendid guitarist; not in the million-notes-a-
.27>  second style, but he had enormous feel and emotion in his playing. As
.27>  an example, check out the intro to 'Need Your Love So Bad.'

Agreed, terrific stuff. My brother bought all those albums so I was
force-fed them before my own record-buying days started, and this
particular track was always one that I liked. This slow emotional
style is similar to another good guitarist, Roy Buchanan. Now who
remembers him?


Rod
239.29MACNAS::DKEATINGEamon Dunphy for President!Fri Nov 16 1990 09:534
    .28�                                            Roy Buchanan. Now who
    .28�remembers him?
    
    I do. Sad that he died last year :-(
239.30He's Painting AgainPSYLO::WILSONAll of Paris giggles with flags...Fri Nov 30 1990 14:039
    Thanks to Ian Brock from Scotland, I have the "Q" mag issue with the
    Syd Barrett photo. 
    
    Apparently his life isn't entirely dismal. According to the text under
    the photo (which shows Syd as, yes, aging rather ungracefully), he's
    painting and has "given up on music ages ago." His relatives say his
    painting is so good "they're going to try to get him to exhibit his
    work soon."